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The Portable Antiquities Scheme database as a tool
for archaeological research

Project team

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More than 815,000 archaeological objects
recovered by members of the public from across England and Wales
have been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS)
database since 1997. Some 66 PhDs, 12 major research-council funded
projects and 138 MA or BA dissertations are known to be using this
dataset.

However, the lack of research into the biases inherent within it
means the data is not yet being used to its full
potential.

This project will therefore explore the factors that underlie
the PAS database. It will analyse the spatial distribution of the
data, comparing it with other archaeological datasets in an
attempt to enable the many researchers who use it to understand its
inherent biases. This study will enable a rapidly growing,
unprecedented and unparalleled database to be fully exploited in
future research on the archaeology of the UK.

There is an urgent need to understand in greater
detail the factors that influence the geographical distribution of
finds data from the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the
relationships between collection practice, artefact type and
space.

This project will therefore answer the question: what underlying
factors govern the spatial distribution of finds recorded by the
PAS?

Research outputs

An academic conference in 2014 will include
papers from experts analysing and discussing data supplied by
the PAS on a range of periods, artefact types and geographical
areas. These will be published online and in print.

A definitive study of the data recorded in the PAS database
will identify and analyse key features and define the best ways to
present it, with its inherent biases, in a transparent way. In
addition, guidance for researchers on how to interpret the spatial
distribution of PAS data will be developed on the PAS website.
Articles in popular magazines and peer-reviewed journals will also
be produced.

The PAS was founded in 1997 and has operated
across England and Wales since 2003 through a network of
locally-based Finds Liaison Officers (FLOs), managed by staff at
the British Museum and supported by National Finds Advisers.

Over 14,000 metal detectorists and other members of the public
have offered finds for recording. The PAS database contains more
than 815,000 records, providing a rich and detailed source of
information increasingly used by academic and professional
archaeologists to study the past and inform planning decisions.